Future Frigates RFT released to shortlisted designers

The Request for Tender (RFT) for the SEA 5000 Future Frigate program has been released to the shortlisted designers: BAE Systems, Fincantieri and Navantia.

Minister for Defence Industry Christopher Pyne said in a statement that Defence has been working with the three candidates since August 2015 on refining their designs, although the shortlist was only publicly announced in April 2016.

“Today’s announcement shows the government is on track to begin construction of the Future Frigates in 2020 in Adelaide,” Minister Pyne said. “The release of the RFT is an important part of the Competitive Evaluation Process, which will lead to the government announcing the successful designer for the Future Frigates in 2018.”

BAE Systems has been shortlisted with the Type 26 Global Combat Ship design, Fincantieri with the Bergamini class FREMM frigate and Navantia with a redesigned F100.

“The three shortlisted designers must demonstrate and develop an Australian supply chain to support Australia’s future shipbuilding industry, and also how they will leverage their local suppliers into global supply chains,” Minister Pyne said.

“The government is committed to maximising Australian industry opportunities and participation, and this project will contribute to building a sustainable Australian shipbuilding workforce.”

The evaluation of the responses to the RFT is due to commence later this year.

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Navantia’s SEA5000 proposal

Navantia of Spain was the only one who showcased an actual scale model of its SEA5000 proposal. The vessel relies heavily on the Hobart class AWD design already selected by the RAN. A Navantia official explained there is “up to 70% commonality between the two platforms from a production stand point”. The vessel would be fitted with 48x MK41 VLS cells, a SAAB combat management system and 2 helicopter hangars.

Fincantieri SEA5000 proposal

During an industry meeting at PACIFIC 2015, Fincantieri unveiled the design of its proposal for the SEA5000 Future Frigate program. Based on the Italian Navy FREMM ASW (Virginio Fasan class), Fincantieri says it recently conducted feasibility studies to proof the possibility to use its FREMM platform to cope with different Navy requirements (including Canada and Australia). The Italian FREMM “can easily accommodate the CEAFAR2 [ed. note Fincantieri presentation mentionned the CEA PAR system]; weigh, CVG, electrical power consumption and fluidic requirements are aligned with the platform capabilities, without the necessity of major modifications”. Finally, Fincantieri says it can easily install the SAAB CMS on board.

BAE Systems SEA5000 proposal

The Type 26 is the future Anti-Submarine Warfare Frigate that will replace the Royal Navy’s 13 Type 23 frigates and other ships. BAE Systems says the Type 26 / Global Combat Ship will be a highly capable and versatile multi-mission warship designed to support anti-submarine warfare, air defence and general purpose operations anywhere on the world’s oceans. Navy Recognition could not meet a BAE representative who could talk about the SEA5000 GCS but we understand that it would be fitted with Mk41 cells exclusively (no CAMM which are present on the UK design) as well as a BAE Systems Mk 45 5 inch main gun.

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Malaysia only talking to Dassault about fighter purchase – French government

Thu Mar 30, 2017 | 3:11pm BST

Malaysia, which wants to buy up to 18 combat planes in a deal potentially worth more than $2 billion, is now talking to only one supplier, France’s Dassault Aviation, about its Rafale jets, the French government spokesman said on Thursday.

“Negotiations have started. I believe there are now only negotiations with Dassault about the Rafale,” Stephane Le Foll told reporters in a briefing after a cabinet meeting.

Pressed by Reuters on whether Dassault was the only manufacturer left in the running, Le Foll said: “There is now only a bilateral negotiation. There is no other operator.”

Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said on Tuesday that he had discussed the possible purchase of Rafale fighters with Francois Hollande during the French president’s visit this week, but the government was not yet ready to make a decision.

Malaysian Defence Minister Hishammuddin Hussein was reported in the media recently as saying the race for new fighter jets had narrowed to the Rafale and the Eurofighter Typhoon, built by Britain’s BAE Systems.

A source in Malaysia’s Defence Ministry said last week that the Rafale was emerging as the frontrunner in the contest.

Malaysia plans to replace the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s squadron of Russian MiG-29 combat planes, nearly half of which are grounded.

France struggled for years to secure its first foreign order for the Rafale but, since making a breakthrough with a 2015 deal to sell 24 of the planes to Egypt, it has notched up several other orders for the multi-role combat jet.

In May 2015, France and Qatar concluded a 6.3 billion euro ($6.77 billion) deal for the sale of 24 Rafales and last September, India signed a deal to buy 36 Rafales for around $8.7 billion, the country’s first major acquisition of combat planes in two decades.

($1 = 0.9305 euros)

(Reporting by Jean-Baptiste Vey and Adrian Croft in Paris and Paul Sandle in London; editing by John Irish)

Almost Certainly Vietnam Decided to Buy Yak-130 Aircraft

According to PK-KQ, almost certainly Yak-130 aircraft has been selected by the Vietnam Air Force as his new generation training aircraft.

In the article “Program renewal, the process of training military pilots is necessary” published in the Air Defense – Air Force, Colonel Nguyen Tien Hoc said:

“However, the newest of this program is that students do not graduate from L-39 but have to graduate on newer aircraft.” According to the Department of Defense and the planes, The Yak-130 is a modern 4th generation aircraft and is compatible with the Su-27, Su-30.

Therefore, it is very convenient for the pilot after graduating from the Air Force School to transfer training at the Su-27, Su-30. ” Vietnam has chosen but almost certainly Yak-130 has won the special attention of the Vietnam Air Force.

Previously, at the International Air and Marine Exhibition (LIMA-2017), the Vietnamese high-level military delegation had visited the site of the Yak-130 combat training ground. This is the type of aircraft that has been rumored by the Russian and international media that Vietnam is planning to buy.
Speaking about the necessity of the Yak-130 aircraft to Vietnam, Sputnik news agency has analyzed the analysis of Russian military science doctor Makar Aksenenko has analyzed the need for this. Recently in Hanoi the conference was held exclusively for this, which announced plans to set up the Center for Training of Supersonic Pilots.

With the initial training facility, Vietnam is interested in modern-day Yak-130 speed trainers and the L-39NG of the Czech Republic. So what kind of aircraft should you choose: Russian or Czech? In the commentary for Sputnik, fighter plane expert, military science doctoral student Makar Aksenenko expressed the following opinion:

“For a time, it was the L-39 that took wing for future Soviet Air Force fighter pilots, then the Russian Air Force, and a whole host of other countries. The Czech plane was used not only as a training machine, but also as a light attack aircraft.

However, as time progresses, new avionics technologies have emerged, changing the training program of combat pilots and flying tactics. Therefore, the L-39, even the New Generation L-39NG, was the “yesterday”.

The aircraft has an engine, avionics that does not have close interoperability with modern aircraft systems such as Su-30, Su-35, MiG-35. This does not allow the use of the L-39 as a transitional medium for the training of fighter pilots.

The question is about the feasibility of Vietnam setting up a training center for supersonic pilots, controlling modern “Su” fighters. The clear aim is that young combat pilots need the best training when it comes to combat units, and can immediately fulfill their assigned tasks. Russian expert Makar Aksenenko assessed:

“I understand the interest of Vietnamese experts in training human resources for aviation, and they need a trainer with the same characteristics as possible with complex supersonic aircraft. However, the Russian Yak-130 (subsonic speed) aircraft can simulate the characteristics of the features, and especially the “Behavior” on “ultrasound”.

These are the advantages of a combat training machine built on the basis of modern elements! Its capabilities are sufficient to train pilot pilots at supersonic speeds. Moreover, the “ultrasound” flight – the only combat mode available for use even on modern fighters. In addition, it should take into account … economic factors: reduce costs, “- Russian expert noted.

Currently, in order to train pilots, the Vietnam Air Force has a series of specialized training aircraft including the L-39, a multi-purpose training aircraft developed in the Czech Republic. In addition to the L39 aircraft, as a training aircraft, Vietnam currently has a Yak-52 aircraft.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter can’t hit moving targets such as cars

The Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter has been revealed to have a significant flaw. It can’t hit moving targets such as cars.

Despite being regarded as one of the most technologically advanced warplanes in the world, reports suggest that the Lockheed Martin F-35 has one significant shortcoming – it cannot strike moving ground targets using the targeting and weapons system delivered in its final combat Lightning II configuration.

This shortcoming means that the F-35 is limited to striking fixed or slow-moving objects such as surface-to-air missiles or major infrastructure targets and buildings.

The US Air Force plans to buy a total of 1,763 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing jets in coming years worth $400bn, while the UK has ordered 138 planes and Australia has committed to purchase 100 F-35 aircraft.

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been described as the ‘most expensive weapon in history’ at a cost of more than $1tr.

But it looks like that even with this significant budget assigned to its development, the aircraft’s aforementioned shortcoming is a glaring and a potential combat weakness.

New missile is the proposed answer

The Manufacturer contacted Lockheed Martin for a response regarding this claim. In response, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson said: “We have a solution. The Joint Program Office is looking to add the Enhanced Paveway II (GBU-49) to the list of ordnance the F-35 can employ in 3F.

“They want to achieve this in 2017. It looks promising because the GBU-49 is similar in shape and size to the GBU-12 which is already certified.”

The Enhanced Paveway II (GBU-49) is a laser guided bomb which the US Air Force hopes to integrate into the F-35’s arsenal in time for full combat capability.

Built by US defence contractor Raytheon, it features Enhanced dual-mode GPS and is new version of the laser-only GBU-12.

This lead-laser capability is built into the weapons front end, so it doesn’t need to rely on the electro-optical targeting systems (EOTS) employed by many previous combat aircraft.

Director of the US Air Force’s F-35 integration office, Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, said adding the new weapon was a key solution to addressing the F-35’s current shortcoming.

“The ability to hit a moving target is a key capability that we need in current close-air support fight, and the GU-49 is a great solution for the F-35 and, frankly, for all of our legacy platforms to hit these moving targets,” he said.

A recent Pentagon report suggests the F-35 won’t be ready to begin full combat testing until 2019, due to having hundreds of faults.

The Pentagon’s latest brutal assessment of this high-priced aircraft was part of an annual report from the Pentagon’s director of operational test and evaluation Michael Gilmore. The dossier includes a five-page evaluation of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

In the Report, Gilmore wrote: ‘The Services have designated 276 deficiencies in combat performance as “critical to correct”… but less than half of the critical deficiencies were addressed with attempted corrections…”

Continuing, Gilmore wrote: ‘Deficiencies continue to be discovered at a rate of about 20 per month, and many more will undoubtedly be discovered before and during IOT&E.’

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The Manufacturer contacted Lockheed Martin for a response regarding this claim. In response, a Lockheed Martin spokesperson said: “We have a solution. The Joint Program Office is looking to add the Enhanced Paveway II (GBU-49) to the list of ordnance the F-35 can employ in 3F.

“They want to achieve this in 2017. It looks promising because the GBU-49 is similar in shape and size to the GBU-12 which is already certified.”

A recent Pentagon report suggests the F-35 won’t be ready to begin full combat testing until 2019, due to having hundreds of faults.

Well look at it another way, with a list so long in problems the stolen material by the Chinese is considered useless……

France says Indonesia signs tentative deal to buy A400M

Indonesia has signed a letter of intent to buy Airbus A400M military aircraft, the office of French President Francois Hollande said on Wednesday.

The provisional agreement was signed during a visit by Hollande to Indonesia and covers an unspecified number of aircraft, according to a list of deals issued by his office.

If completed, it would provide the troubled European military programme with a second export customer after Malaysia.

A previous deal to export A400M airplanes to South Africa was cancelled in 2009. Chile was also at one time seen as an export partner for the aircraft, which has run into billions of euros of cost overruns and years of development delays. (Reporting by Cyril Altmeyer, Tim Hepher; editing by Alexander Smith)

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I’d rather go for Japanese C2 or Russian Ilyushin IL-76MD-90A and save the difference to put it into advance jet fighters than into transport planes……Earlier reports suggest the package is $2 billion for 5 A400M costing $400 million each…….However, the decision may be political…….or Indonesia gets TOT……..

Trump administration pursues sale of F-16’s to Bahrain: source

President Donald Trump’s administration has informed Congress of its plan to pursue the $5 billion sale to Bahrain of 19 Lockheed Martin F-16 aircraft and related equipment, which was held up last year by concerns about human rights, a congressional source said on Wednesday.

The State Department originally notified Congress of the sale last September during President Barack Obama’s administration. It was pulled back because of concerns that Bahrain had not made promised improvements to its human rights record.

The Trump administration has separated the human rights issues from the transfer, the source said.

Members of Congress were not immediately available to comment on whether they would object to the sale over human rights concerns this time.

The $4.867 billion sale includes the aircraft, 23 engines, radars and other avionics, air-to-air and air-to-ground ordnance and related equipment.

The latest notice sent to Congress provides for 40 days of additional congressional review, then a formal notice to Congress as required by the Arms Export Control Act, after which the licenses for the sale would be approved.

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From earlier reports it indicates $4 billion for 19 new F-16s Block 70 valued at $2.8 billion and include upgrades costing as much as $1 billion to Bahrain’s existing F-16 fleet…….So either it’s a typo error or the price just went up……..

The conservative Heritage Foundation is proposing an $86 billion increase in defense spending, recommending that lawmakers partially offset the cost through a sharp cut to the Air Force’s planned purchase of more than 1,700 F-35A fighter jets.

In a policy proposal released Wednesday, the D.C.-based think tank called on Congress to “substantially” increase military spending in fiscal year 2018 to $632 billion, a five percent expansion to President Donald Trump’s budget request submitted earlier this month.

This increase would be counteracted in part by a 30 percent reduction in the Air Force’s F-35 purchase plan—from 1,763 F-35 fighter jets to 1,260 jets—under the National Defense Authorization Act, according to Heritage.

John Venable, a senior research fellow for defense policy at the Heritage Foundation who helped craft the proposal, told reporters during a private breakfast Tuesday morning that the decrease in the Air Force’s purchase plan for F-35As would free up money for different acquisition programs within the service.

Heritage is pressing Congress to fund the expedited acquisition of F-35As over the next four years, but the report noted that even with accelerated production, the Air Force would still not complete its purchase of the 1,040 combat-ready F-35As recommended by the think tank for the active duty force until the early 2030s. That projection does not include the additional 60 combat-ready fighter jets Heritage recommended the service maintain in its National Guard and Reserve fleets with another 100 to be used in active duty training and operational test and evaluation requirements.

Venable, a former Air Force pilot, said the slow acquisition rate of F-35s will force the service to continue to use a mix of fourth and fifth generation aircraft for the “foreseeable future,” meaning the branch will need a sharp increase in federal funding to continue operating its dual-capable F-16s and F-15s.

“Even if we ramp [production] up to 100 aircraft a year, it’s going to take 12 years to bring all of those fighters onboard that we’ve got planned for the F-35A, so throughout that time, if we were able to do that, we would need to have F16s, F-15Es, and F-15Cs,” he said.

Air Force officials told lawmakers last week they were considering plans to retire the F-15Cs as early as the mid-2020s to cut costs, proposing to replace the aircraft with modernized F-16s. Venable advised against the retirement of any of the service’s platforms for at least the next seven years given existing deficits in the service’s capacity.

Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein testified last month that less than 50 percent of the service meets readiness requirements for full-spectrum combat operations. Goldfein warned that if Congress again fails to pass a budget that fully funds the military, the Air Force would be unable to hire the number of maintainers, air traffic controllers, and pilots needed to engage successfully in current missions and rebuild readiness.

The Heritage Foundation said that while Trump’s budget proposal challenges caps on defense spending implemented by the Budget Control Act under former President Barack Obama, it is ultimately “insufficient” to begin to rebuilding the military.

Beyond budget increases to sustain the Air Force’s F-35A acquisition program along with its F-16 and F-15 platforms, Heritage has recommended a 4 percent increase to the service’s operation and maintenance funding in 2018, with a total increase of 20 percent over the next five years. Defense experts said this is necessary for the service to recover from its 4,000-aircraft maintainer deficit and a training shortfall that has left pilots with fewer flight hours due to depressed federal funding.

Heritage is also calling on the Air Force to increase its manpower by 33,000 airmen, cultivating the force to 326,000 airmen in 2018 with incremental increases that will ultimately grow the branch to 350,000 airmen by 2025.

Lawmakers have until April 28 to pass a new budget before the current spending package expires, with the NDAA likely to hit the floor for a vote in late summer or early fall.

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This increase would be counteracted in part by a 30 percent reduction in the Air Force’s F-35 purchase plan—from 1,763 F-35 fighter jets to 1,260 jets—under the National Defense Authorization Act, according to Heritage.

Air Force officials told lawmakers last week they were considering plans to retire the F-15Cs as early as the mid-2020s to cut costs, proposing to replace the aircraft with modernized F-16s. Venable advised against the retirement of any of the service’s platforms for at least the next seven years given existing deficits in the service’s capacity.